Tacos Ensenada: A Duarte Foodie Gem

One of the great things about living in my little town of Duarte right now comes in the form of a small hole in the wall restaurant called Tacos Ensenada. From the restaurant's name, it's safe to say that it's a taco joint, but for those of you in the know, Ensenada is a city in Mexico known for its fish tacos. Put that all together and what's coming out of this restaurant's kitchen are extremely tasty fish (and shrimp) tacos.

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The restaurant itself is tiny and I'm talking, 4 tables that can seat a total of 16 people at one time. There's also a fresh condiment bar where you can get pickled carrots, red onions, radishes and these yellow peppers sprinkled with chili powder. I could have easily eaten more than the two I had, but wanted to make sure I had room for my meal.

First to arrive was my Fish Ceviche Tostada. I liked how large the sections of avocado were that topped the tostada. In fact, I ended up just eating those on their own. As for the fish itself, I found it be bland. I could taste hints of lime, but there needed to be more flavor. Perhaps, they didn't "cook" it in its marinade long enough or they just didn't use enough ingredients. Maybe, they were just having an off day. They had only been open for a few days when I stopped by. Hopefully, when I try it for a second time, it'll be better.

What didn't disappoint were their fish and shrimp tacos. I ordered one of each as part of their combo platter, which by the way, only cost $5.39. The first thing I tried was the fish taco, which actually had a generous fish portion. It was longer than the tortilla itself.

At my first bite, I already knew that I was going to be a happy fish taco eater. What I liked about the batter was that it wasn't oily nor was it heavy. The fish's batter was a nice golden brown and crispy while the fish meat itself was moist and delicate. It was a taco that was both messy and yet great to eat.

I enjoyed the shrimp taco just as much. The shrimp was sweet and cooked just as right. It was just as messy as the fish taco, but I didn't mind bite after delicious bite.

Overall, although the fish ceviche tostada was a bit of a disappointment, the fish and shrimp tacos more than made up for it. In fact, I've been back a couple more times and can't seem to not order those fish and shrimp tacos. Hopefully, Tacos Ensenada is up for a long stay so that I'll be able to try more of their menu.

Tacos Ensenada
2171 East Huntington Drive
Duarte, CA 91010
(626) 359-4959


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Quality Mexican Cuisine in My Own Backyard at Serrano's Mexican Kitchen - CLOSED

Isn't it interesting how people will drive miles and miles away from your own neighborhood just for a good meal, but sometimes forget to check out what's in their immediate vicinity? A few years back, I was exactly the same way, but now as I drive through the familiar streets of my town, I try to keep my eyes peeled for any new or at least unfamiliar restaurants that may pop up. One day, a tiny eatery called Serrano's Mexican Kitchen caught my attention, so I kept it on my radar as a future meal stop.

One evening, I went with my family to check it out and boy, am I glad I did. In comparison to the Mexican restaurants currently in Duarte, Serrano's is the best this city has, but even just on its own, Serrano's is simply superb! Since my first visit, I've been back a few times. What draws me repeatedly is the quality of the food.

For example, I love their corn tortillas, which are thick and holds well when you're eating a soft taco. I've eaten my share of soft tacos where just lifting one up can become a mess as it rips apart and the taco filling ends up all over your fingers and plate. I have never had that problem with Serrano's tacos and while the fillings will fall out, at least my tortillas stay intact.

The other great thing about their soft tacos is their generous portions. Generous in the sense that the meat filling isn't hidden under mounds and mounds of lettuce and vegetables to the point that you're not even sure if you ordered a beef taco or a chicken taco or that there's even any meat there at all. Instead, you get wonderfully seasoned meaty tacos that are dressed simply with fresh diced onions, cilantro and your choice of one of their homemade salsas.

I also really enjoy their beef taquitos. You'd think that there's not much to taquitos and that how can you possibly ruin them? Oh, but you can. I've had taquitos that are over cooked to the point that it's a chore to even bite into them because they're just so hard. If you do happen to get your chompers into them, what you may pull out with your teeth are long pieces of meat that are dry and chewy. Like the tacos, the taquitos at Serrano's use the same tortillas which gives them a bready texture, but one that's has a nice crisp to it. The beef filling is also tender and moist.

Other items that have made me a happy diner include their milanesa steak, which was coated with a golden crispy batter and actually stays on while you cut into the meat. I've also tried their sopes and their quesadillas. So far, everything I have tried has been good to excellent and everyone who I've directed there has come back to me with kudos.

So the moral of the story is, that in your search for a good meal, always check out what's in your neighborhood. You may just find your next favorite eatery.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157611823165819/

Serrano's Mexican Kitchen
2171 E. Huntington Drive
Duarte, CA 91010
(626) 359-4959

Manja Resto - CLOSED

Open only two weeks at the time, I walked into a fairly empty restaurant when I decided to have lunch at Manja Resto, a new Indonesian restaurant. Missing Paradiso, also an Indonesian restaurant, that closed and was replaced by Manja, a part of me was worried that I wouldn't get the same quality dishes that I used to get before. So with some trepidation, I took a look at the menu and placed my order.

Not wanting to stick to my usual standbys of satay, nasi goreng (fried rice) or the beef rendang, I decided to try some new dishes that I've never had before.

First up was the Telur Balado which are fried boiled eggs with spicy sauce. While I tend to be more of a soft-boiled egg person myself and found the inside of the egg a little dry (go figure, it is boiled and fried, of course, it'll be a little dry), I still really enjoyed this dish. I counter-acted the dryness of the egg by slathering it with the chili sauce and it was delicious and wonderfully spicy. As an after thought, I could easily imagine frying bacon, chopping these eggs and mixing the whole thing with rice and just eating that out of a bowl. Now that's the breakfast of champions!

The second dish was the BBQ Chicken that was marinated with sweet soy sauce and hot chili sauce. Apparently, the hotter the better is how people tend to like this dish, according to the owner, but I decided to stay with "medium heat." What I liked about this dish was the layers of sweet, salty and chili flavors. When you first take a bite of the chicken, you get the sweet first, but as you chew, you get a little bit of that salt and than finally, a bit of heat. I also liked how the chicken was soft and moist.

The last dish was the Ketoprak, a dish made up rice stick noodles, bean sprouts, fried tofu with garlic peanut sauce and crackers. The Ketoprak was a bit of a harder sell for me. I liked the flavor of the peanut sauce, but I found the sauce consistency really, really thick. The delicate rice noodles stuck together in clumps and when I took a bite, it felt like I was chewing and chewing, as if I had a clump of peanut butter in my mouth.

I actually asked the owner about it and she said that the thick consistency of that peanut sauce is a preference of the Indonesian palate. Since I've never had a dish before that is served with this peanut sauce at other Indonesian restaurants I've been to, I'll have to take her word for it.

Served with my meal was the El Teler dessert drink that I ordered that had avocado, jackfruit, coconut milk and was topped with condensed milk and syrup. Given the heat and the intense flavor of the dishes I've been eating, this dessert drink was nice and cooling. I didn't care too much for the large chunks of ice in the bowl. It just seems like there should be a better way for this to be served cold, but how can you go wrong with those sweet, refreshing ingredients.

Overall, I liked my meal at Manja Resto and am looking forward to trying even more dishes and in doing so, may even one day raise my 3-star rating to something higher.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157600288647021/

Manja Resto
1206 E Huntington Dr #A
Duarte, CA 91010
(626) 359-7564

Bananas - Mexican Beverage Shop - CLOSED

When you walk into Bananas, your eyes immediately go into color over drive. From the bright red, green and orange wooden chairs to the fluffy bright yellow couches in the corner of the room to the multi-colored walls, it feels like several buckets of paint exploded and went every which way. In fact, one of the walls does look like paint splotches were thrown upon it.

Once your peepers adjust and you make it to the counter, you'll be able to order any one of several Mexican beverage specialties that are for sale at Bananas. There's the Diabilito Chilemon which is fresh squeezed lime juice blended with shaved ice, sugar, salt, chamoy and comes with a tamarind stick or the Escamocha, which is fresh squeezed orange juice poured over a mix of fresh fruits and veggies, including mango, grapes, cucumber and jicama. You can also order any variety of licuados, agua frescas, liquados, etc.

Hungry for something more substantial? Than order a torta and/or soup for a quick bite and if your sweet tooth needs satisfaction, there are desserts and sweets displayed either in the case or in baskets on the counter that will do the trick. If that isn't enough, you can also order fresh fruit baskets as gifts for business or pleasure.

For my first visit there, I tried the Banana Raspado, a shaved ice drink with banana syrup topped with freshly sliced bananas. While I liked the addition of the bananas, the drink was overall too sugary sweet for my taste.

I took home a Mango-on-a-Stick and yes, it really was on a stick as well as the Fruit de Gallo which had a mixture of mango, pineapple, watermelon, jicama and cucumber. Both were topped with either fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice as well as salt & chile and definitely appealed to my love of tart-sour-spicy flavors, especially when they're combined with fresh fruit and veggies.

When I went a second time, I tried the Cucumber Agua Fresca, a combination of cucumber, water and sugar blended all together. Now that was quite refreshing and something I'd definitely get again, especially on a hot summer day. Since I hadn't eaten yet, I decided to try one of their Tortas.

I settled for the Carne Asada Torta that was filled with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado and jalapeno. I've never had a torta before, so I wasn't quite expecting the large roll this sandwich came in, but surprisingly, I ate the whole thing up. Suffice to say, I was pretty hungry.

I wouldn't say that this was the best sandwich I've ever had, but it was filling and other than the carne asada meat itself being a bit chewy, all the ingredients came together to satisfy my palate, especially the jalapenos which added a nice kick. :)

I think that Bananas is a great alternative to all the Jamba Juices out there. You get drink combinations that uses ingredients that aren't as mainstream and flavors that offer something a little more unique. I certainly will be returning and am looking forward to trying more items from their drink menu.

Bananas
1345 Huntington Drive

Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 359-6309

(Closed)

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157601199326952/

El Salvadoreno

In the past, I never cared too much for pupusas, but it wasn't until I tried them at Grand Central Market that I started liking them more. So one day, I was suddenly in the mood for these stuffed tortilla treats and thankfully, right in the city that I live there's an El Salvadorian restaurant called El Salvadoreno, where I was able to fulfill that particular craving.

So off I went and ordered 2 pupusas and a taco to bring home for lunch. Once I got home, I sat down and eagerly opened up the foil and took my first look at them. One was a cheese and squash blossom and the other was pork and bean. I have to say that they were looking pretty good. I saw the grill marks and while these pupusas weren't as thick as the ones I had at Grand Central Market, they still were a good size.

Being a cheesehead, I bet you know which one I went for first. The cheese and squash blossom pupusa was delicious. I would have liked more cheese, but than I think that's the cheese greed talking. I did top some of the sections with the pickled veggies that came with the order, but found them too warm and promptly removed them. Those pickled veggies were put in a ziploc, which I don't think was a good idea because I think they were warmed by the hot food in the bag. But then that cabbage and stuff was just garnish and I was perfectly fine with the pupusa just on its own.

Then I went for the pork & bean pupusa, which I found pretty tasty. The only problem was that the filling was a tad too oily and also just a little too salty, which didn't take away too much from my eating enjoyment, but this pupusa would have been more of a home run if those two things weren't put into play.

I was actually filled up by the time I got to the Carne Asada taco. I don't know what I was thinking when I ordered it. In looking at it, I can say that El Salvadoreno wasn't shy with their toppings. I couldn't even pick up the taco without stuff flying everywhere. I finally settled for just taking a few bites with my fork. The carne asada, though not spectacular, was not bad. It could have been more flavorful and a little more tender, but at least, it was certainly filling.

Overall, the pupusas definitely left a good impression and I'd go back for more as well as to try other El Salvadorian specialties that I spied on the menu while waiting for my order. This is definitely not a fancy place, but I'd rather have good food than good ambiance.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157600266360161/

El Salvadoreno
1313 Huntington Dr
Duarte, CA 91010
(626) 359-1594